PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV

The Topic I've Avoided

The PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf. I’ve avoided this topic for a variety of reasons. There are the geopolitical ramifications, sports washing and personal vendettas to name just a few of the reasons I’ve stayed away. But I can’t avoid writing about my thoughts on this any longer. No matter what you or I think of LIV, it is not going away. Personally, I have issues with all the different tours. None of them have it completely right.

As someone who loves the game and has played it for over 50 years as both an amateur and professional, I want to share my opinions on the players, formats and where I hope everything ends up over time. If you want a deeper dive, sign up for a paid subscription.

Let’s start with the players. Any player who is offered the kind of money LIV has offered has every right to accept the offer. Top players, like Jon Rahm, have been offered generational wealth. It’s the kind of money which is almost impossible to turn down. I have no issue with any player accepting such an offer. But, if a player accepts and joins LIV, they cannot demand to be allowed to play any PGA or DP World Tour events just as PGA and DP World Tour players can’t just play select LIV Golf events.

If the tours work out an arrangement in the future allowing crossover for players, great. I’m all for it, but it needs to be a two-way street. LIV is primarily a contracted tour with limited fields and a 54-hole format. How the arrangement would work and how many events is beyond my pay grade.

If I were one of the top ranked players in the world, I would find the money, format, number of events, no cut and limited fields of LIV very appealing. The top players have established themselves over time. LIV would feel like a reward for the hard work to become one of the best. However, in the long term, I believe this will need to change. 72-hole format and cuts need to happen. OWGR points would most likely happen quickly if LIV went to 72-holes.

LIV is not loaded with the best players in the world. I realize this is a controversial statement. They have some of the top players in the world like Rahm, Smith, Hatton, Ancer, Koepka, DeChambeau and Johnson to name a few. Joaquin Nieman shot 59 this week. There are other well-known players like Mickelson, Poulter, Westwood and Garcia, but most of them are past their prime. They can still win, but they are at an age where wins are few and far between. Additionally, at least half the field is not the same caliber of player as seen on the PGA Tour. LIV lovers will debate this point, but I’ll stand my ground.

I’m not sure the team concept will work. It is intriguing, but golf is an individual sport. The Ryder Cup works because it only occurs every other year with an established history and is, as a result, unique. The President’s Cup does not have established history and has not enjoyed the same level of success as the Ryder Cup which makes me wonder if the team concept can work as a regular format. Only time will tell. The one thing I will definitively say is this, someone needs to do something about some of the team names.

I believe, if they follow the proper procedures, LIV players will get OWGR points in the future. Part of the acrimony in golf stems from LIV’s attempt to bully their way into receiving points for their players. Other limited field and shorter format events do receive OWGR points but followed the proper procedures over time to receive points. They do not receive the same points as regular PGA Tour or DP World tour events receive. I do believe LIV promised players certain things like OWGR points would be earned on LIV without actually knowing if that would be the case.

The LIV format of 54-hole shotgun start is a mixed bag. The shotgun start is fine, although, I feel the finish loses some of the drama inherent with players finishing on the same holes. The shotgun start also makes it a little difficult to expand the field.

The PGA Tour needs to change, too. One of the things LIV does well is drawing younger viewers. The party atmosphere seems to appeal to the newer generation of golfer who likes to play music when they play. While I think LIV needs to tone this down some, the PGA Tour needs to pay attention to the younger golf crowd. There needs to be better fan engagement and experiences in person and via broadcast. LIV has embraced streaming and new technology. Some will argue they had no choice. It doesn’t matter if it was out of necessity or by choice, in my opinion, because they have pursued interesting new tech as a result.

LIV isn’t going anywhere as long as the Saudis remain committed. The PGA Tour has brought in new money with the investment deal recently announced. But there needs to be some agreement reached between LIV, the PGA Tour and DP world Tour. What that is and how it looks, I’ll leave to them. Hopefully, we the fans, will benefit.

I don’t trust Jay Monihan or Greg Norman. Both are self-serving, in my opinion.

Players, LIV social media promoters, PGA Tour proponents, and other representatives of the various tours all need to stop sniping at each other. You are not growing the game. You are dividing it. Get over yourselves.

My goal with this week’s newsletter was to provide some constructive thought. The current state of professional golf is divisive. I am glad there seem to be discussions and progress between the tours to reach an agreement, but only time will tell if those in power can come together.

As always, be grateful when you get to play, and thankful for every shot. Now, go golf!